For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95: 3-5

I recently returned from a family vacation at the beach in Nags Head, North Carolina. It was the first time I traveled to the outer banks area, and I was not disappointed. I found the area beautiful and more relaxing than other beaches. It was a lovely week spent with my children and grandchildren and memories were made. I’m thankful for the time we spent together, but it feels good to be home.

I also arrived home just in time for the birth of my new grandson, Issac Lucas. My daughter-in-law went into labor as we were traveling home from the beach. They were unable to travel with us due to the pending birth. I made it to the hospital shortly after Issac come into the world – another one of God’s awesome blessings!

After traveling for six hours on freeways with bumper-to-bumper traffic to and from the beach, the mountain feels like a peaceful sanctuary. Although the beach holds a beauty of its own, I will always be a mountain woman at heart.

Today was a perfect summer day.  Brilliant sunshine, not too hot, and a nice breeze blowing. I was up early and opened all the windows. I was grateful to hear the familiar sounds of the creek near the house, the song of the cardinals, woodpeckers drumming noisily on a dead tree in the woods, and the swooshing sound of the breeze dancing through the dense summer foliage.

I paused from my work and went for a short walk outside. I was surprised at how much my plants had grown during the week I was away. My little porch garden was overflowing with an abundance of red tomatoes and miniature peppers. Pots of fresh basil and lavender created a soothing fragrance in the air.

I love container gardening.  It’s the perfect option when you get older and have health problems. No matter where you live, you can have a garden! Stay tuned for a future blog past about porch gardening.

While on my walk outside, I was welcomed home by a doe and her fawn who stopped to munch on the remaining lilies they haven’t already eaten. Mountain life has its ups and downs.  Did I mention I don’t like snakes?  Living with wildlife is a blessing, but they do like to dine on my flowers at times. I have to accept the good with the bad, and the good things about mountain life always outweigh the bad.

Whether you are gazing over the ocean or looking up at a mountaintop, seeing God’s creation is always a reason to celebrate his power and majesty.  When I walked along the shoreline in North Carolina last week, I was in awe of the vast ocean and God’s power.  l thought of the verse in Job where God tells the ocean how far its waves can go.

“This far you may come and no further; here is where your proud waves stop.”

Job 38: 11

As I returned home to the familiar beauty of the Pennsylvania mountains, I was reminded of a verse in Psalms that is one of my favorites.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121: 1-2

What a blessing it is when we behold the wonder of the world God created! Whether you are traveling to a distant place this summer or enjoying an at-home vacation, God’s creation is an amazing and beautiful gift he gives us to enjoy every day if we simply take time to see it.